[Windows Desktop] Add photos & files freezes the app and causes a crash

Summary

On the Windows ChatGPT/Codex desktop application, selecting Add photos & files causes the application to stop responding, freeze, and then crash. The failure is consistently reproducible each time a file is added.

Steps to reproduce

1. Launch the ChatGPT/Codex desktop application on Windows.
2. Open a new or existing chat.
3. Select Add in the message composer.
4. Select Add photos & files.
5. Attempt to add a file.
6. Observe that the desktop application freezes, Windows reports that Codex is not responding, and the application subsequently crashes.

Expected behaviour

The Windows file picker should open and the selected file should be attached to the conversation without affecting application responsiveness.

Actual behaviour

The application becomes unresponsive and then crashes whenever a file attachment is attempted.

Environment

• Product: ChatGPT/Codex desktop application
• Platform: Windows
• App version/package version: not available at the time of reporting
• Windows version/build: not available at the time of reporting
• Frequency: every attempted file attachment

Evidence

A screenshot was captured at the point of failure. It shows:

• the main application title as ChatGPT (Not Responding);
• a Windows dialog stating “Codex is not responding”;
• the Add photos & files menu visible immediately behind the failure dialog.

The screenshot is available from the reporter but could not be embedded through the reporting integration used to create this issue.

Additional information requested

Please advise if the following would help isolate the fault:

• desktop app/package version from Settings → About;
• Windows edition, version, and OS build;
• whether the failure occurs with every file type and size;
• relevant sanitized desktop logs or Windows Event Viewer entries.

Start by reproducing the attachment flow in the Windows desktop application and gather the app version, Windows build, sanitized desktop logs, or Windows Event Viewer entries requested in the issue. The fix is complete when selecting Add photos & files opens the file picker, attaches a file, and no longer freezes or crashes the application.